Cockadoodle doo

The other day, while in the shower, I heard a rooster crowing and crowing and crowing.... It was very loud considering I was on the second floor with the water running. It was very odd considering I don't own a rooster. When I headed out to go to work two roosters were coming down my neighbors drive. He doesn't own roosters either. We have no idea who's they are or why they have picked our house to settle in at.

For the last two days these guys have been literately circling our house. I now know how Custard must have felt. The Wife is terrified of them for some reason. Something about their beady eyes and tag teaming her on a flanking, all out pecking attack.

Now, we have another decision to make. Keep the roosters, get some chickens and have fresh eggs. hope they find their way to the pond so the gator can have a special feast or try to shoo them home. Wherever that is. Funny thing about roosters, ha ha grrr, they don't just crow in the morning. No, they crow all.day.long. Did I mention how loud they are?

This is a picture of my pond looking back at my house. It's here because I loaded the wrong picture but I like it, so I left it.

Our new friend

This little guy showed up in our pond the other day. Sure he's cute. And where are the kids going to get a chance to watch an alligator grow this close? He's about 3' long and isn't afraid to get within a few feet of us.

Still, he will get bigger and you can not tame an alligator. We're having a tough time deciding if we should remove him now, wait until he's big enough to be dangerous then have a trapper remove him... or we could just eat him. They taste like chicken you know. (just kidding, but we have had people offer to catch him for the meat)

I don't know, I guess for now he kids can brag about their pet gator.

ASIMO. The future is now?

I've been following Honda's robot ASIMO since it was first introduced. Although it is an amazing feat of engineering, I can't help but wonder if I'm missing something. Didn't these people see Terminator, The Matrix, iRobot? The list of movies made to warn us that one day computers, and by extension robots, will one day rule our world is extensive.

When ASIMO first came out I thought it was cute. Now it's starting to creep me out... really creep me out.

What's a second worth?

I watched the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" last night. Not a great movie but good. It made me think a bit. There was one scene though that made me shed a few tears. Odd how or experiences make us see things that might go unnoticed to others.

I've played a similar scene out a million times in my head before I ever saw this film. Strangely, I took comfort in knowing that the writer had thought about it too. How different our lives might be if just two or three seconds where added or subtracted at any given time? How an insignificant incident can set us on a path of destruction, enjoyment or enlightenment.

After the movie I went up stairs where the wife had gone to bed hours before. I gave her a little kiss as she slept. Then I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. A sleep I haven't known in years. And I dreamed, I dreamed a gloriously happy dream. The first good dream I've had in a very long time.

Stay Back

Has anyone given any thought to microwave ovens???

Follow me here. The door that protects you from the microwave radiation is made of glass or some sort of plastic. The dishes you place in the microwave oven, in most cases, are made of glass or plastic. If the microwaves can penetrate the containers holding the food why can't they escape through the door made of the same material?! I don't think they are heavy enough to be lead lined or something like that. What the hell?

Mine is mounted above the stove, about my head height. I'm not making any connection with that and my receding hair line but then again...

Oh Dear

Ever since I was a child people have been claiming that Chinese restaurants are guilty of slipping us mystery meats such as monkey or dog. I have always laughed off such claims because for one, monkey would cost more than beef or chicken and two, no evidence has ever been produced to support such claims.

Until now...

"Here's something you don't hear every day. An employee at Nagano's admitted to bringing a dead deer that they found on the side of the road to work. Thanks to an anonymous caller who says they saw employees bring a garbage bag with a dead animal inside Pooler p-d were alerted.

Police responded and found this on the floor of the cooler laying right
underneath beef. The restaurant was immediately closed down and the Health Department was called in. The Health Department tells me Nagano's was closed for four hours while the restaurant was cleaned and sanitized.

Some food had to be thrown out because of possible contamination. The
restaurant was reopened and placed on warning. It is still unclear if the
restaurant was planning on serving the deer. We did stop by the restaurant to see if anyone was willing to explain why they had the roadkill but no one there was willing to talk . "

~ WSAV TV

YUCK!

Dag gum it!

There has always been a gumball machine where I work. You know the one, glass globe, you put a quarter in the slot, turn the knob and a couple of gum balls come out. I'm not sure who owned the one that's been at our place for years. All I know was someone came, refilled it and took the money. That was until this year. This year no one came to refill the machine so eventually it ran out. It's not that I chew a lot of gum but it was a nice way to get a sugar fix a few times a week.

After several months of no gum, a brand new, shiny candy machine showed up. Full to the top too. Oh did I lose a few quarters that day. Oh happy days are here again. Then I inquired from where did this shiny new machine full of glorious sugar come from? Seems my brother bought it on eBay. Interesting.

The next day I had a hankering for a piece of gum, waltzed right up to the gumball machine... but then a funny thing happened. Just before I plucked my quarter in the slot I kinda resented that it was going to my brother. I quickly shrugged the feeling off. I mean I never cared when a stranger got my quarter. Besides now there was gum and if there isn't, I know who to see.

Still, every time since, when I go to place my quarter in the slot, I get that same damn feeling. I really don't know why either. I don't care if he gets the money. Hell, I'd give it to him if he wanted it. Is it because he thought of the idea and I didn't? Am I jealous? I don't think I am. Maybe it just upset me that he didn't include me in his little venture when we've been partners in everything else concerning business. But, seriously it's a gumball machine, not a business. I really don't know why I get this stupid feeling.

I do know I don't like the feeling but I can't shake it completely. Every time I go to get some gum I get it again and quite frankly it's ruining my whole gum chewing experience. WTF?!

Dancing With Angels?

We enrolled my three year old daughter Abby in her first dance class this week. I was really excited about it because of how much she dances around the house. She seems like she's going to be a natural at it.


Yesterday, The Wife dressed Abby up in her absolutely adorable ballet outfit and took her to class. Anxious to see how she did I called The Wife to check. Apparently there are no windows looking into the dance room and parents aren't allowed in. I can understand what they're getting at. The child will be less distracted without people moving around but the whole point of a three year old in a dance class is to see them dance. Now, all cute and clumsy.


That was a problem but not the real problem. After the first class The Wife was told that each class starts with a prayer and bible study. A copy of the bible study would be sent home each week. What the...? Now I have no problem with religion, bible study or prayer, I just didn't expect to be paying for bible study when I sent my child to DANCE CLASS. If I wanted to send my child to bible study I would send her to, hmmm, I don't know... church maybe?


Now I can't get the image of her dancing around a burning bush or toe tapping through the Last Supper. Why do these people torture me so? Why can't dance just be dance? Oh well, on a more positive note we're thinking about enrolling my middle son in swimming/baptism classes next summer.

Odd Man Out

I have the pleasure of lifting with two great guys three nights a week. Although I've been working out with these guys for years I hardly ever forget that they were partners long before they met me. One day they asked for some advice about working legs, I invited them to join me for a few sets and we've been lifting together ever since.

In the beginning they both just let me run the work-outs. I had more experience and seemed to be more motivated. This worked out well for awhile then I noticed one partner, P1, seemed to get irritated with me at times. Nothing harsh, just little comments to let me know he wasn't pleased we always did things my way. So I backed off to let them take charge, only to be confronted by my other partner, P2, about why we're doing odd or lame work-outs. You see, P1 doesn't really know what to do, he just wants to have input, where as P2 doesn't care who's in charge, he just wants the results.

So over the years I've worked hard to make sure P1 is included in decisions. Still, no matter how hard I try I can't get this issue behind us.

Example:

P2: Can we do extra legs tonight?
Me: Fine by me, what do you think P1?
P1: Huh, surprised you even asked. I was thinking of trying this new exercise?
P2: That's for your back. We're not doing back tonight.
Me: Let's try it tomorrow night.
P1: Whatever. (as he rolls his eyes)

Example two:

Me: Didn't you want to try a new exercise tonight P1?
P1: I'm surprised you even heard me. (sarcasm)
Me: Huh?
P2: I heard that exercise isn't any good.
Me: Lets give it a try and see.
P1: Gee, thanks for letting us. (dripping with sarcasm)

I still try, but for the most part I just wrote it off to the fact there are some people in this world you just irritate (some of us have a better knack for it than others) no matter how hard you try not to.

Then, I skipped the gym last Monday night. I sent both of them an email to let them know. When I arrived at the gym Tuesday P2 was a no show. P1 informed me that P2 had come early Monday and had almost finished his work-out before our scheduled time. Worse, he left P1 after only 10 minutes of working-out. When I wondered out loud why he would do this, P1 said, "Because, he knew you weren't going to be here."

Then it became crystal clear. P1 is irritated with me because P2 seems to be only interested in working out with me. P1 is feeling like the odd man out. It doesn't really solve anything but at least I know where it's coming from. And, on a selfish note, I'm happy it's not me this time.

Sneak Peeking

There is a guy at my gym, about my age, who brings his wife to work-out with him. Well, she doesn't actually work-out with him, rather she works-out at the same time as him.

I've noticed that he keeps his distance from her the whole time they are there. Between his sets he watches all the other guys in the gym to see who's watching his wife. He also tries to listen to see if anything is being said. She has a lot to look at too. She always wears extremely tight fitting clothes. It's amazing nothing falls out during her training. She is in phenomenal shape. She has curves in all the right places if you know what I mean.

I actually think this guy is getting off on seeing people ogle his wife. I guess she likes the attention as well. Do I look? Of course I do. It would be hard not to. Hey, if you stick it out there for the world to see, I'm part of that world. And, it's apparently what they both want.

Of course I don't let them see me looking. I won't give them the satisfaction of playing their little game. I'm no pervert after all.

If you can't cut the fool, stay out of the mud

Last night my dad showed up at my door around 8:00 asking for help. He had let my cousin's child and her three friends come over and play on his four wheeler and mule. Well as teenagers will do, they went where they weren't suppose to and sunk all of it in a mud hole. A mud hole the size of Texas that is.

So reluctantly I put on some old clothes and went to help. When I arrived the teenagers, two girls and two boys, were completely covered up to their waist in black mud. Most of their faces were covered too. Yes, I laughed at them. I explained to my dad what we needed to get the vehicles out and I stayed with the kids and vehicles as he took my truck to get the supplies.

Now I know I'm getting on in age but I've honestly never felt like an old dude. I can hold my own in the gym, play sports with most people and still laugh at the stupid things in life but I guess it's been awhile since I've spent any time with some real teenagers (as opposed to the fake ones I guess). Here they were muddy, cold and in a lot of trouble with my dad and they were having the time of their lives. They were laughing, cutting up and throwing mud on each other. All I could think was I didn't want any mud on me and I'd rather be home in bed.

After observing them for a few hours I almost came to the conclusion that they were just immature. That was until one of the girls asked me if my hair had turned gray. I said "yes," to which she replied, "Gee! You sure are old!" She's right, I am. They weren't acting immature, they were acting their age. An age I don't identify with anymore because I'm an adult now.

It struck me as funny because until then I hadn't realized how much I've grown up. I hadn't thought I had moved so far from those crazy teenage years. I still had it in my mind that I could 'hang' and 'cut the fool'. No, I didn't see myself as the cool older guy the kids would like to spend time with, I just thought I would still see fun the same way they do. Well I can't.

I was embarrassed of them and for them, yet they were clueless that their behavior was anything but normal. As they ran around acting silly I just shook my head. I had to tell them over and over to get out of harm's way. They had no focus and no control over themselves. All I saw was a dirty job I wanted to finish and get home. All they saw was more opportunity to play.

When we finally got everything out they all thanked me. They wanted to hug me with their muddy wet selves (I don't think so!). When I got home I explained to the wife all the problems we had getting the stuff out and why it took so long. She asked why they would take stuff that wasn't theirs and take a chance of getting it stuck and tearing it up? I told her, "because they're teenagers." She said she couldn't understand what they were thinking. I told her I couldn't either and then we went to bed, like the old married couple we now are. Thank the Lord.

Clean your screen

This is the coolest thing I've seen in awhile.

This site cleans the back side of your monitor screen. Hell, I didn't even know mine was dirty. It made a huge difference. It's totally safe too. For the best results maximize your browser window.

Click here to get your monitor cleaned.

Truly amazing!

Nightmares Can Come True

We all have nightmares. Things we fear for good reasons and things we fear for no rational reasons at all. well one of my biggest nightmares came true the other day.

No, bagheaded people didn't invade my home and I didn't wake up with a teletubby next to my bed (I really would die you know) but this was almost as bad.

I had a phone call at work. The lady on the phone explained that she worked for the local ABC News channel. My first thought was that I was about to get pitched an advertising package. By the end of the call I was wishing I had been. Instead, she was a reporter. She called to talk about the truckers shut down.

The truckers in our area parked their trucks last week to protest the cost of fuel and for not being compensated with a rate hike. Many have and are going out of business. The port in our city is the fourth largest in the US, so when freight doesn't move people get nervous.

Back to my nightmare. After talking with her about the shut down for five minutes, she asked if she could come interview me in person. I agreed. And that's when it turned into one of my one of my worst fears.

You understand it will be on camera?

*pause* Um... no I didn't. I don't think I'd be too good at that.

Sure you will. I'll edit out the bad parts.

*pause* No thank you, I think I'd rather pass.

Oh, you'll be fine. I'll take care of everything. Can I come at 1:00?

*pause* *pause* Sure... why not. *sigh*

Then I hung up the phone and went about worrying for the next three hours. It didn't help that the office staff know how much I hate the spotlight and took full advantage of the situation.

At 1:00 she showed up. We went outside were her cameraman was setting up. I was as nervous as tick but not too nervous to notice a second cameraman and another reporter to my right, FILMING already. The reporter that called me noticed me looking at them. (As if there was a chance I wouldn't see them?) She explained they were a film crew from TV GUIDE , filming a documentary on how the news was put together. WTF?! I didn't want to be on one camera now there's two?!

The interview went as I expected. I felt like a goober. Especially at the end when she asked if I had anything to add? I said no. Then there was a loooooooong uncomfortable pause. I've seen this many times on TV and the person being interviewed feels compelled to start speaking. This is where they usually say something stupid. I have always vowed never to speak if I was ever in the same situation... So I rambled on for a few minutes before realized how stupid I was sounding. I hated every minute of it and was relieved when it ended. I didn't even ask when it would be on TV. Though the reporter assured me it would be edited down to just a few seconds of air time. That's a few seconds more than I wanted. I still don't know why they picked me or how they found me.

After it aired (on two channels) my brother said I didn't look and sound like as much of a hick as another guy they interviewed. Umm, Thanks... I think.

All Wet

Busted!

Everyday I watch as the women at our office try to choke down bottle after bottle of water. All in the name of health and fitness. I never thought they were doing anything wrong but I just couldn't be bothered with drinking 8 glasses of water a day.


Well on the way to work today I heard that it has now been proven there is no benefit to this practice. In fact, drinking a lot of water may have the opposite of the intended affect.


The advice given about water intake? If you feel thirsty drink some. Go figure, our body has a built-in mechanism to let us know how much to drink. It's called thirst. Who would have thunk it?


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89323934

Men get scared too

It takes a pretty good horror movie to raise the hair on the back of my neck. Most of them anymore are just blood and guts being thrown all over the screen with a few people or things jumping out at you every few scenes, yawn. I can only recall a few movies that got under my skin in a way I didn't like.

There was that disturbing little boy from The Shining. Redrum! Redrum! That stupid puppet from Magic. Puppets themselves are just plain creepy. Get one to move on its own and you have my attention. And those four strange Teletubbies my kids watch on TV. Could you imagine waking up with one of those things next to your bed? I would honestly die.

Last Saturday night I was at home. The family was down in Florida visiting my son's best friend. I had just sat down to watch TV and this movie trailer came on.

About five minutes later the power went out. It was 10:00 at night, I was home alone in a pitch black house and I didn't know why we had lost power. I can't deny the images of the clip popped into my head a few 100 times. I guess that's one of my worse fears, people with bags over their heads in my house. Luckily the power came back on in just two hours. It seems we had a few tornadoes in the area that had knocked down a few houses and things. It wasn't baghead people cutting my power line. Whew!

So now I can't get that line out of my head from the clip.

Why are you doing this to us?

Because you were home. (So simple it's scary because, well, I'm home sometimes)

Yep, scary stuff, I can't wait to see it.

It MUST be me

The wife went to Mexico and I kept the kids for five days. I worked two half days while they were in school and all day Monday, when I picked the wife up from the airport.

Since I'm not normally home during the day and all weekend I couldn't help seeing the situation as a two fold opportunity. The first and most important, watch the kids, provide for their needs and enjoy the extra time I was spending with them. The second and less important opportunity was accomplishing some projects that I was in the middle of or needed to start.

It all went better than I expected. Besides the great quality bonding time I spent with the kids which included camping out in the new playroom. I got a lot done. I all but finished the new playroom, I did some overdue work in the yard and cleaned the house from top to bottom. Between dropping off, picking up, feeding them, packing lunches, changing diapers, washing clothes, and the extra projects. I was one tired Daddy. Did I have a new appreciation of what the wife does? No, I always knew it was a tough job and admired her for doing it.

Monday morning when I left the house for work I wanted it to be in order. I didn't want the wife to come home to a dirty house and a bunch of chores. There was no laundry, no dishes, no beds to be made, nothing. All she had to do was come home, pick up the kids and know that everything had been handled. She would also be surprised at all the projects I finished.

She was happy at the airport. She had a good time despite some issues that happened with my sister. That's another post. She drove me back to work and headed home. There was no call of surprise when she got home. She did thank me for cleaning up when I called her on my way home from work.

When I got home she informed me she was going to make the kids grilled cheese sandwiches and I could fend for myself for dinner. Not a problem, as I was the one who had not taken anything out. Then I reminded her that our oldest doesn't like grilled cheese anymore but he would be happy with cereal. Then she asked if I would cook the grilled cheese sandwiches? Um, ok I suppose. And she wanted me to make her one too. I started making them but it didn't feel right. She just stayed in the kitchen not really doing anything. As I cooked them she asked when was the last time the kids had a bath. I had bathed them Saturday night. She then asked me if I would jump in the shower and bath them? WTF is going on here?

She just had a five day vacation, came home with more done than she could have ever expected and now she doesn't want to lift a finger. Helloooo vacation is over lady. I didn't say anything other than I would pass on the shower with them and I was shocked that she asked. Again no reaction. I was mighty disappointed. We put the kids to bed, no bath just a wipe down and she went to bed.

I didn't expect a pat on the back for watching MY kids and cleaning MY house. I did expect some acknowledgement of all the extra projects I took on and completed. Her having almost zero reaction is just odd. I'm baffled. I wanted her to go and have a good time. I wanted her to relax and not worry about the kids and the house. I thought that by having everything in order when she came home she would realize I was sincere about wanting her to have a complete break from her life. I could have easily let things pile up so that she would have had to do double duty when she came home. I didn't.

I could have lived with her reaction up until she asked me to cook her dinner and bath the kids. She's not normally like that so I'm thinking I missed something. It's either that or it's just me. It must be me.

Small Talk

Sometimes when you think you are just shooting the breeze, someone is listening to every word you say.

A few months ago a guy stopped by my office unannounced to try and persuade me to use his firm when obtaining financing for my customers. As a rule I try to duck this type of solicitation but I had a minute and I knew the guy was just doing his job so what the hell.

After a short sales pitch he commented on the fact that he could tell I work-out. Very clever trick there fellow, buttering up the prospective client. We talked about working out, cardio and diet for longer than his sales pitch lasted. Then he left and I went back to work.

A few days ago I received a call. It was Saul. Saul who I didn't know but he wanted to stop by and see me while he was in town. Regarding? Financing, you know, Saul. The truth is I didn't know Saul but he seemed adamant so what the hell, again. As soon as I saw him I remembered him. The slick salesman that tried to butter me up. I ushered him into my office waiting for the NEW pitch. It never came. What he stopped by for was to tell me something or rather show me something.

Me: So what's been going on?

Saul: I've lost 22 pounds in the last month and a half.

Well that's wonderful. How did you do it?

Saul: I just took your advice. I have a long way to go but I've changed my lifestyle so I know I'll get there. I really want to thank you for that. If we wouldn't have had that conversation I could have never done it.

I was a bit embarrassed for a few reasons. First, I didn't think I had done anything to deserve a thank you. It caught me of guard. Second, because I couldn't even remember what I had said to him. Mostly because I forgot about him the minute he walked out my office. Apparently I said something that stuck.

He wanted me to go to lunch with him but I already had a customer waiting on me. I shook his hand and wished him luck. He thanked me again and left. The whole thing got me thinking. How many times a day do we say something that means nothing to us but affects other people without even knowing it? So I guess for now on I'll pay more attention to what I'm saying because somebody just might be listening. How odd.

Life or Death? I'm confused

On most subjects I have a good idea where I stand. On moral issues... well that's even easier. So I was shocked Saturday when I was listening to a talk radio program and had absolutely no idea how I felt.

While coming home from work a weekend host that I don't usually listen to was on the radio. Mike Gallagher is a just another in a long line of conservative talk radio host. So it didn't surprise me when I heard him talking about the death penalty and a man who is scheduled to be executed in Texas very soon.

The victims brother came on the show and they were discussing how the usual anti-death penalty crowd was rallying around this man Kenneth Foster Jr. Mr. Foster was convicted in the death of Michael LaHood Jr who was twenty five at the time. I was thinking how typical, these same people can run to support these murders but never seem to care about the victim or their family. The death penalty doesn't bother me as long as justice has been served fair and complete. In this case Mr. Foster was found guilty by a jury and has not been over turned in the appeals process.

I was about to turn the channel when someone mentioned that the man who shot the victim to death has already been executed. What? Yep, it seems that Mr. Foster was the driver of the 'get away car'. He didn't actually shoot anybody. In Texas and other states the law states he is just as guilty as if he pulled the trigger.

At first I thought ok, fair enough. They were targeting women that night to rob and carjack. They had already perpetrated five crimes before the murder. They followed the victim's girlfriend to his house with the plan to rob her at gun point. Mr. Foster knew all about it. What they didn't know was the victim was in the car in front of her and went to her rescue when they all arrived at his house at the same time. Foster drove them there and he drove them away.

The problem is, the more I thought about it the more I wasn't sure he should be executed. I've always thought the death penalty was for those who directly commits murder. Did this guy know his partner in crime would shoot the victim? I doubt it. Would he have driven him had he known? More than likely, yes. They had been assaulting people all night.

So now I'm in an unfamiliar position of not knowing how I feel about an issue. So what is justice in this case? I wish I knew.

Am I a blog stalker?

From time to time I click on one of the blog links that spin on the blogger home page. Most of the time it's some artsy fartsy page and I close it. If it's interesting I might leave a comment, I mean that's what they're here for right? I never curse or call somebody stupid I keep it on topic and hopefully add some insight to the situation.

The problem is I want to know if the blogger liked my comments or had a comment back so I keep checking their blog. How many times a day can you check a strangers blog before you are considered weird? After I check it a few times my mind starts to wonder if they got the comment, did they delete it, did they fall in the bathroom and can't get up?

Some people have those little counters that keep up with how many people visit their blog. OMG! What if they can see my name when I check their blog? Raw Thoughts has checked your blog 27 times in 3 days. Is there such a thing? Is this normal behavior or am I a blog stalker?